


Redeemer

by SherlockianWhovian



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark One Liam Jones, Drowning, F/M, Missing Year (Once Upon a Time), The Dark One (Once Upon a Time), The Jolly Roger
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 09:39:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14590194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianWhovian/pseuds/SherlockianWhovian
Summary: Captain Hook is lured from the Jolly by a siren. When he wakes after being half-drowned, his brother is alive and is now the Dark One - and Liam has big plans to make his brother ‘better’.





	Redeemer

Killian dug his hook into the helm and held on tight as the seas became choppier around the Jolly. Every man on the ship had tied himself to something, but with only one hand, he was forced to use his hook to anchor himself instead. He just hoped it would be enough to get them through the storm caused by the mermaids’ wrath.

The song of a siren was barely audible at first but it grew in strength the closer the ship moved towards the rocks. It was a lullaby, soothing and calming. Hook closed his eyes without meaning to, the soft singing reminding him of his mother and his childhood long ago. So much had happened in his life since then that he barely felt like the same person. What would she have made of him now? A dirty pirate with no morals, he supposed with a sigh. When the ship lurched violently beneath him, his eyes snapped open and he struggled to regain control.

“Killian.” a voice said,  _her_  voice.

“Swan! Get away from the edge!” he urged, looking over and seeing her stood dangerously close to the rail.

Another wave hit and Emma was thrown overboard.

Killian gasped, feeling as though he was watching it in slow motion. He freed his hook from the helm and ran across the deck, throwing himself into the water after her without any hesitation. He heard the cries of protest from his crew, but he needed to save her. A part of him knew that it couldn’t possibly be her, that she was safe in the Land Without Magic with Henry, but he couldn’t take the risk. If he lost her, he knew he’d find a way to follow her, to join her in the next life.

Killian swam deeper and deeper, following the flash of golden hair. He finally reached her and grabbed at her arm to pull her back to the surface, but she dissolved into nothingness.

He gasped when his worst fears were realised - he’d been tricked by the mermaids. He’d been so desperate to see Emma again that he’d allowed them to coax him overboard without any fight at all. Frantically swimming towards the surface, his lungs began to burn from lack of oxygen. He’d almost made it, could almost touch the hull of the ship, when hands grabbed at him and pulled him into the depths again. He fought against them but water began rushing in to his mouth, drowning him. It was just seconds before everything went dark and he prayed that he’d get to see Emma again in the next life.

 

\---

 

Killian slowly became aware of his surroundings, blinking his eyes open when he realised that his lungs were free of the water that had been drowning him before he’d been pulled into unconsciousness.

“Welcome back, Captain.” came the sneering hiss of a mermaid from a few feet away.

He pushed himself into a sitting position and looked around at the prison they’d put him in. It was a bubble with clear walls that let sound and air in but stopped him from escaping.

“What do you want with me?” he growled.

“We don’t want anything from you. We’re just keeping you until the Dark One comes for you.” the mermaid replied.

“The Dark One is dead.” Killian said with a frown.

The mermaid laughed, “Silly human, even the Underworld can’t hold the Dark One for long.”

“What does he want with me?” he asked, drawing his sword from its holster.

“You’re in our mermaid colony on the seabed, you’ve no chance of escape.” the mermaid laughed, “What the Dark One wants with you is of no concern to us.”

“The Dark One and I came to an accord in recent times. We agreed to stop battling one another for the good of all.” he hissed.

“That was the previous Dark One.” the mermaid smirked, “You’ve made no such accord with the new Dark One.”

 

\---

 

“Killian.” a voice called, “Killian, wake up.”

With a slight groan, Killian forced himself out of sleep. He’d been a captive for hours and his exhaustion had eventually got the better of him.

“Killian.” the voice said again, accompanied by a shake of his shoulder.

Killian opened his eyes and frowned, “Liam? What are you doing here?” he murmured in confusion, “Am I dreaming?”

Liam laughed, “No, you’re not dreaming. Get up, little brother, and let’s go.”

Killian slowly got to his feet and took a step back, “You’re dead. You died centuries ago. How are you here?”

“I was down in the Underworld for centuries but now I’m back where I belong.” Liam replied with a smile, “I’m here to protect you, little brother.”

Killian frowned, “There’s something off about you, Liam. What did you do to get here?” he asked.

Liam sighed and removed a familiar crooked dagger from his coat pocket, his name engraved on the blade, “I managed to kill the man who’s caused you so much torment.” he said proudly, “And now I can protect you from all evil, Killian.”

“No!” Killian gasped in horror when he saw his brother’s name, “Why would you do this, Liam? I don’t need you to protect me, I’m not a child.”

Liam chuckled a little and shook his head, “But you are, Killian. I’ve been at your side since you were born; I’ve watched you every moment since my death. You may have been alive for centuries but you’re still so childish and weak.” he said sharply, “Captain Hook is no villain, he’s a petulant child having a tantrum.”

“This isn’t you. This is the darkness talking.” Killian argued, wincing slightly as Liam grabbed his arm in a steel grip, “Let me go, brother.”

“What, and let you return to my ship that you ruined? Let you continue your crusade of murder, theft and lies?” Liam sneered.

“I became a pirate to get revenge on the corrupt King that killed you!” Killian hissed.

“No, Killian, your excuses won’t help you this time. You need me, whether you like it or not. There’s a curse coming and I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” Liam replied with a dark smile, transporting them both away in a puff of black smoke.


End file.
